1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of techniques associated with tray moving mechanisms and in-vehicle audio apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a technique for setting the direction of a tray which is moved relative to a unit base such that the tray is set in orientations substantially 90 deg different from each other in a projected position and a retracted position, the technique allowing the apparatus having the tray to be made compact through efficient utilization of space.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some in-vehicle audio apparatus allows a portable music player formed in a planar and substantially rectangular shape to be contained therein and allows the music player to be operated from outside to reproduce music recorded in the same and to output the music from a speaker provided in a vehicle (for example, see JP-A-2008-24259 and JP-A-2009-179097 (Patent Documents 1 and 2)).
Such an in-vehicle audio apparatus includes a tray moving mechanism having a unit base and a tray which can be moved relative to the unit base between a retracted position and a projected position.
A music player is contained in the in-vehicle audio apparatus by placing the music player on the tray in the projected position and urging the tray rearward to move it to the retracted position. The music player is removed from the tray by pulling out the tray from the retracted position to the projected position.